Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-A, non-B hepatitis virus genomic cDNA and a non-A, non-B hepatitis virus genomic cDNA an a non-A, non-B hepatitis virus antigen polypeptide. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a non-A, non-B hepatitis virus genomic cDNA which is useful for producing a non-A, non-B hepatitis virus antigen polypeptide and with a non-A, non-B hepatitis antigen polypeptide which is an expression product thereof. The non-A, non-B hepatitis virus genomic cDNA of the present invention is also useful for genetically diagnosing non-A, non-B hepatitis. Further, the non-A, non-B hepatitis antigen polypeptide of the present invention is useful for producing a vaccine for non-A, non-B hepatitis, an immunoglobulin, a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody, an immunological diagnostic reagent, an agent for screening blood for transfusion and an agent for use in affinity chromatography for removing non-A, non-B hepatitis virus from blood for transfusion.